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Migrant abuse bosses face jail

EMPLOYERS who abuse migrant workers’ rights could face jail terms of up to five years and fines of up to €50,000.

The tough new measures, part of a package designed to protect foreign workers, will make it easier to prosecute cowboy bosses.

The legislation comes in the wake of a series of high-profile cases of exploitation in which foreigners were paid slave-labour wages to work around the clock.

A new green card system is also being introduced that will give long-term visas to workers in certain areas, releasing them from permits tied to particular employers. At the moment permits are granted to bosses for staff, a “bonded” system that critics said made it difficult for exploited workers to complain.

The hefty penalties would apply not just to those who hire foreign workers on unfair terms, but also to firms or executives who sanction illegal wages or conditions, an official said.